NCC plans financial incentive for infrastructure providers

…. Stakeholders urge Jonathan to approve broadband policy

Ben Uzor Jr

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is planning to provide financial incentives to infrastructure providers in its new broadband regime still awaiting approval of the federal government. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) made this revelation on Thursday at the Nigerian Broadband Forum organized by the commission in Lagos . Stakeholders at the forum urged Goodluck Jonathan to speed up the approval process of NCC’s broadband strategy which is based on an open access model and expected to provide a framework for sophisticated infrastructure sharing. According to them, the delay was already causing the nation significant economic losses in terms of lost revenue generation and foreign direct investment opportunities estimated at over N600 billion.

This financial intervention, according to Juwah is indeed necessary to stimulate investment in distribution and last mile networks needed to move available bandwidth capacity emanating from the growing number of submarine cable systems on the country’s coastline. “The financial incentive is to enable service delivery at affordable prices for the end-user. “In cases where NCC finds that from reasonable adequate operational estimations that the infrastructure providers cannot meet the price caps of the regulator, we will provide incentives to enable them operate profitably as well as hasten the distribution of services inland. According to the EVC, less than 5 percent of bandwidth capacity from the cables (MainOne, Glo-1, SAT-3 and WACS) is utilized.

Juwah hinted that plans were already in motion to introduce a cap on fibre transmission costs, further adding that the price cap would be implemented after a survey conducted specifically to determine real cost of deploying fibre is completed. He assured the telecoms industry that the high cost of distributing internet bandwidth across the length and breadth of the country, will soon become a thing of the past. In her opening address, Omobola Johnson, minister of communications technology told the forum which attracted stakeholders from both the public and private sector that the federal government was fully committed to meeting it strategic target of a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by the end of 2017 over the 2012 penetration rates. Nigeria is estimated to have 45 million internet users, the largest online population in Africa.

“We will employ the following strategy to deliver on those objectives. The government will provide periodic review of the broadband penetration targets in order to determine further action for broadband expansion. We will promote both supply and demand side policies that create incentives for broadband backbone and access network deployment. We will also provide special incentives to operators to encourage them to increase their investment in broadband rollout. In addition, government will promote e-Government and other e-services that would foster broadband usages”, she explained. Sherad Somani, partner and head infrastructure, KPMG Asia told the form that the success of NCC’s broadband strategy was largely dependent on the selection of the right industry structure, provisioning of the right level of government funding and appropriate risk allocation.

“The government has to provide incentives like subsidized loans to compel infrastructure providers and operators to participate and address risk allocation. Close government regulatory intervention is often required to ensure sufficient supply and promote demand. There is need to ensure liberalized market structure for successful rollout and affordable take-up. Regulatory monitoring of market development and rollout is important. Some network operators at the forum expressed reservations as regards NCC’s resolve to compel operators to participate actively in its open access model. Linda St. Nwafor, chief technical officer, MTN Nigeria said operators were keenly considering infrastructure sharing because of  its cost effectiveness but should not be made compulsory by the regulator. “Changing our business strategies would have an effect on investments.

We need to stimulate demand for broadband to ensure telecoms operators are profitable. Before, we implement the open access model, we must ask other countries that have gone the way open access at what point of infrastructure development did they implement the strategy. We must ask them what sort of incentives their respective governments put in place. Are the current players in the broadband ecosystem really profitable”, she explained. “In Nigeria , there is already clear evidence of demand for broadband in many facets of our economic and social livers. Broadband for education, health, business, entertainment and leisure – there are very few aspects of our lives that are not impacted or affected by the internet”, Omobola Johnson concluded.

Major submarine cable outage hit business hard

Ben Uzor Jr

Businesses in Lagos, mainly financial institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in the past few days have continued to count their loses as unstable internet connectivity plague their operations. This is coming at a time when businesses in the country are fast growing with hundreds of entrepreneurs and organisations directly depending on the internet for survival. BusinessDay checks reveal that the disruption of internet supply was caused by submarine cable cut suffered by two of Nigeria’s major internet gateways. The incident occurred on July 8, 2012 in the Atlantic Ocean, 9 kilometres off the Nigeria’s coastline. Repairs on this particular cable are estimated to take about 16 days (from July 8). 

The poor internet service was further aggravated by service disruption on the South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) service, provided by the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and offered to end users by 21st Century Technologies. Conglomerates including Total, Chevron, ExxonMobil, all the banks and several blue chip companies including telecommunications giants, MTN, Airtel, Direct on PC, a broadband internet service provider, Multi-Links and a few others use SAT-3 link. Some internet service providers (ISPs) have since routed to other sources of international wholesale bandwidth providers. They have continued to provide services but the service levels are low.

They have, however, mentioned that at certain times of the day internet download speed may not be as fast as customers might want it. With an estimated investment of about N365 billion ($2.24 billion) in underwater cables in the country over the past five years, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of this investment and are starved of access to reliable and affordable broadband services. Currently, there are over 7.78 terabyte of internet capacity lying untapped at the shores of the country, yet internet penetration in the country remains abysmally low. Besides, Nigerians have continued to express dissatisfaction with the quality of service delivery, further calling on the telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to take swift actions against erring telcos and internet providers.

“I subscribed to Swift Networks and since early June my network has been down. I stay around Amuwo-Odofin, Festac area. I cannot access the internet. It has been a really terrible experience”, Samson Ayo, an internet user told BenUzorreports in an interview. “I use iPNx and my internet service has been down for weeks now. I am app developer and need the internet for the kind of work I do. It has been difficult for me”, Deji Arimoro, an internet user told BenUzorreports. Poor services have also extended to BlackBerry subscribers who have complained about the slow access to the cyberspace. In recent times, mobile network operators (MNOs) have said damage to their fibre infrastructure in Nigeria is impacting negatively on their ability to deliver quality service. In an SMS (Short Messaging Service) sent out to its customers recently, Airtel apologised to its teeming subscribers for poor network services.

In an advertorial recently, MTN had informed its esteemed customers that it had embarked on a comprehensive network modernisation and swap-out exercise which is expected to cover its extensive network across the country. The company appealed to customers who may experience temporary service difficulties.

Nokia 808: the future of mobile imaging, wrapped in a smartphone

Ben Uzor Jr

A few days back, I was having a friendly chat with a professional photographer. James Chukwuemeka Okafor is very passionate about photography. In fact, he thinks and dreams about live photography. Before long, he started talking about how to capture images that stand the test of time, giving me tips on how to become a good photographer….blah blah blah. I was not really interested in photography but James had an inexplicable way of compelling me to listen to his lengthy speeches on the ‘Art of Photography’. “Ben look, you need to be obsessed with getting the shot. Not just any shot – The shot! His eye balls almost popping out of its sockets, James continued: “You need to be a story teller. Story telling is at the heart of good photography; good photographers need to be able to tell stories with their cameras.” I could certainly relate to that. As a journalist, story telling is what we do on a daily basis.

But I was not interested in photography but the gizmos and gadgets that aid photography. The conversation was getting boring so I decided to spice things up a bit. I asked him, “Do you know that a mobile phone with a 41-megapixel camera currently exists?” “That’s impossible….,”James blared out. “It can’t be true man! That’s no longer a phone now. Most point and shoot cameras don’t have that now talk less of a mobile phone. Mr Gadget, I hope it’s not a trick to prevent me from inundating you with the art of photography. Tell me about this device, I will continue my lecture on photography later”. Yes indeed, a device with a 41-megapixel is currently in the phone market. The Nokia 808 PureView is certainly out of this world. The crystallization of five years of imaging research and development (R&D) has landed in Nigeria, and the timing couldn’t have been better for Nokia Corporation.

Hardware

While the 808 PureView forgoes the N8’s metal casing, I can’t think of a phone that has a more solid-feeling plastic shell than this. It feels so hardy that if I were to accidentally drop it, the pavement below us might come off worse. Fortunately, the rough matte finish has great purchase in the hand, and the same coating runs across the edge of the phone -- precisely where you’ll be grabbing the device while taking photos. That substantial build means the phone’s profile tops out at 18mm thick, narrowing to a more acceptable 14mm. There are two reasons the 808 PureView measures nearly twice as thick as other recent smartphones. First, that sensor needs the extra space, as does the Carl Zeiss lens. 

Secondly, given the camera-centric gravitas of the whole device, a curvier profile better lends itself to photography. Despite its top-heavy appearance, the weight distribution feels balanced, if slightly biased towards the lens end. All told, it is, indeed, as bulky as it looks, weighing in at 169g and making a good case for those plastic build materials. The back of the phone wraps around to meet the Gorilla Glass-protected screen, while a plastic strip cuts across the lower half of the battery cover.

Camera

Forget the awkward industrial design. Ignore the frustrating mess that is Belle. Take one picture with Nokia’s 808 PureView and all will be forgiven. I dare you. It’s difficult to relay exactly how thoroughly awesome this camera is and how stupendously phenomenal the resulting shots are. This device instantly obliterates every other camera phone, while simultaneously giving most dedicated point-and-shoots the proverbial finger. It’s that good. So what’s the special sauce? How is this possible? Welcome to the world of software photography, where lenses and motors and hardware are replaced with algorithms and code and wizardry. As you’d expect, it all starts with a nice sensor. There’s been a lot of brouhaha about the 41-megapixel camera aboard the 808 PureView, and rightfully so.

Image quality isn’t about the number of pixels as much as it is about pixel size. On the one hand, 41 megapixels seems like overkill -- on the other hand, it’s what makes the PureView technology possible. Consider this: at 1.4 microns this sensor’s pixel size is identical to that of the iPhone 4S. This means that pixel for pixel, this shooter matches the competition -- it just uses five times more pixels per image than an 8-megapixel camera. At 1/1.2 inches (10.82 x 7.52mm), the 808’s sensor is physically massive, larger even than the 1/1.7-inch array in Canon’s S95 high-end point-and-shoot.

Battery life and performance

With those optical cannon on the back and a relatively meek AMOLED display -- how does a modest 1,400mAh battery fare? In short, well. Understandably, the camera component takes a fair bit of power to capture 34- and 38-megapixel images, let alone oversample and churn out polished 5-megapixel masterpieces. In a day of shooting, we found the camera lasted through a day of social network usage, map queries, intermittent web browsing and snapping over 100 images at various resolutions. On my video rundown test, I enabled Wi-Fi without connecting to a network, and tried to fix brightness at 50 percent (as mentioned earlier, the light sensor still interferes).

The 808 PureView offered me eight hours and 40 minutes of playback, which was a pleasant surprise. Viewing, cropping and editing images will naturally impinge on how much mileage you’ll get from a single charge. However, Nokia’s stylish Universal Charger offers some relief, and there’s also the option of purchasing a spare juice pack. Unlike Samsung’s recent NFC-equipped phones, the Nokia 808 PureView keeps its near-field hardware on the casing, so you’ll be able to swap the battery without issue. Pricing is not currently unavailable.

Curve 9320: A smartphone for the budget-conscious buyer

Ben Uzor Jr

Undoubtedly, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 may not be the BlackBerry Smartphone that is hitting the headlines at the moment due to it been a low end, budget-friendly device but that doesn’t mean it will not be popular. In fact, in the United Kingdom, tech buffs say it is quite possible that the 9320 may be 2012’s best selling Smartphone. For quite some time, RIM has claimed the title of most handsets sold in Nigeria. With the youth of today all carrying a BlackBerry, the Curve 9320 is the perfect successor to the Curve 8520 and 9300 that have proved so popular. Though, the device has not been formally launched into the Nigerian market, smartphone enthusiasts argue that the Curve 9320 is RIM’s bid to win first time smartphone users with smartphone basics, decent battery life and integrated BBM for social feeds.

The Curve 9320 wants to be as successful with the youth market as previous models proved to be a few years ago off the back of celebrity endorsements, clever marketing and Gossip Girl product placement. While BlackBerry has been busy pumping out impressive touchscreen handsets such as the BlackBerry Bold 9780 and BlackBerry Bold 9900, it’s keen to make sure it doesn’t alienate those who would be drawn in by its cheaper - yet just as cheerful - Curve range. And the BlackBerry Curve 9320 - just like the BlackBerry Curve 9360 - fits that mould well. The Curve 9320 looks like a Curve of old. It’s sleek, with both black and brushed metal tones and has a curved back, which really fits in the hand well - almost as though it’s been molded with that in mind. It was one of the first things I noticed when I took it out of its packaging. At 109 x 60 x 12.7mm and 103g, it’s a bit thicker than the Curve 9360 and 4g heavier and certainly feels rounder and chunkier. The precise edges are all gone.

Build

The trademark BlackBerry design won’t surprise anyone. There’s a neat, classic and responsive keyboard at the heart of the smartphone, given as much presence as the 2.44 inch screen. Minor changes include the sensible migration of the headphone socket to the top of the body rather than the side and a BBM button on the left hand side of the body for fast access to the service which remains the key USP of all RIM products. Compared to other BlackBerry smartphones, the BlackBerry 9320 feels chunky yet lightweight. Measurements clock in at 109 x 60 x 13.9mm and it tips the scales at just 103g. Overall, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 mimics the business centric, plastic feel of older models and doesn’t look stylish or high-tech but is designed purely for function.

Features

Despite the budget price tag, this is the first BlackBerry to arrive with BlackBerry 7.1 which allows BBM to integrate with other apps like Facebook. Preceding the revolution that RIM is promising with BlackBerry 10, it’s a minor overhaul but important and a welcome addition that gives the BlackBerry 9320 kudos for upgrading BBM fans. The 3.2 megapixel camera is average but does feature a flash which isn’t guaranteed at the price point. Inside, a 1450mAh battery is a welcome bonus and the MicroSD slot means adding a cheap MicroSD card (up to 32GB) is a no-brainer upgrade for music fans.

The FM (RDS) Radio works well and while basic, it’s a great bonus over many rivals which rely on patchy 3G for radio use. The homescreen is pre-loaded with useful apps too: Facebook, Twitter, Virgin Trains as well as a basic but functional map app and less important OK and ESPN apps. Connectivity options are good, with HSDPA 3G skills alongside A2DP Bluetooth.

Screen

At 2.44 inches and 320 x 240 pixels, the BlackBerry Curve isn’t going to win any awards for screen quality as rivals offer either a much bigger screen or a higher resolution screen. That said, the screen is clear and bright but lacks detail on many websites. Custom apps fare much better and mean that they’ll naturally be used more frequently than the browser because while menus and apps are clear, the screen simply struggles to present complex sites.

Performance

The 3 megapixel camera is functional rather than fun and the web browser is just about usable but, in 2012, looks terribly dated against touchscreen smartphones with big displays and fast Android browsers. It’s a major sticking point and navigating many websites now feels like using your feet to pilot a car. The overall experience for apps, texting and emails is very fast with little lag, however and BBM naturally works better than before. If you rule out browser use, the BlackBerry Curve 9320 is a decent keyboard driven smartphone but the pure power of rivals like the Huawei Ascend G300 and LG Optimus L3 blow it out of the water.

Games and intensive media apps on rival Android smartphones will embarrass the BlackBerry Curve 9320 at every turn and in a serious, productivity sense, the Nokia Lumia 710 offers competitive Windows Phone functions and a higher spec. Call quality has always been solid on BlackBerry smartphones and it’s great here, offering very clear audio for the caller and receiver.

Battery

The 1450 mAh battery gives a couple of days of intensive use and, for many, this will be a major plus over rivals and high-end options.

Verdict

RIM no longer produces smartphones that compete with the desirability of Apple products and the younger market which once craved BBM is now rapidly migrating to cheap yet stylish Android smartphones and iPhones which now boast iMessage, a more than capable BBM rival. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 is average in almost every way but will still appeal to BlackBerry fans and anyone after a best in class keyboard and upgraded BBM. As a smartphone, it’s actually one of the simplest ones out there.

E-Tranzact advocates increased awareness on cashless policy

Ben Uzor Jr

Valentine Obi, chief executive officer, E-Tranzact has again re-emphasised the seemingly low awareness and enlightenment activities being experienced on the country’s road to developing a cashless economy will need to be adequately addressed for Nigeria to ensure the success of the initiative. Obi said while the country was making improvement in infrastructure development, one area that needed more attention was in awareness creation. “One particular area that will require more attention for us, as a country, to record resounding success in our road to implementing a cashless economic policy lies in awareness. Currently, awareness activities still leave much to be desired. So we need to increase the tempo. If all the facilities are there, and people do not have adequate knowledge about their usage it is useless and we may not record much success,” he said.

Obi, who spoke at a mobile payment forum, a seminar/exhibition organised by eTranzact in Lagos recently, said the increase in availability e-payment facilities needed to be matched by the level of usage, adding this can only be driven by holistic approach to creating awareness. Speaking on the business activities of eTranzact aimed at driving the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Obi said the company is a leading provider of mobile transaction services leveraging on its award-winning mobile switching platform to provide secure, convenient and cost effective e-payment solutions.

While stating that the future of e-payment id mobile, which eTranzact has been championing, Obi said, at the beginning of the company’s operations in 2003, “we saw a future where mobile phones will become a major channel for e-payment services thereby creating easy access to financial transactions. Since then, we have focused on this vision since 2003 when we launched our eTranzact Mobile Commerce , the forerunner of the eTranzact Mobile Banking services.” He said though there were challenges relating to infrastructure, security and compatibility of the e-payment devices at the beginning, “Today, we have moved forward as eTranzact has successfully surmounted these challenges, making us the leading e-payment solution company in Nigeria and providing world-class electronic switching and mobile payment services.”

He added that to further build up its vision, eTranzact was recently granted licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to run a mobile money service in Nigeria. “This gave birth to PocketMoni, a service that allows users to send and receive money, pay their bills, anywhere, anytime, via their mobile phones.” He said eTranzact’s feature-rich, user-friendly and interactive mobile payment apps work on all mobile phones and tablets and “comes in various OS platforms - iOS, Android, Blackberry, OVI, WindowsPhone, and Java.”